Seventh Star Press

Seventh Star Press Announces Four Book Deal With Paranormal Thriller Author R.J. Sullivan

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 08:59:51 PST

For Immediate Release
February 23, 2012

Seventh Star Press Announces Four Book Deal With Paranormal Thriller Author R.J. Sullivan

Seventh Star Press proudly announces a four book deal with author R.J. Sullivan, making him the seventh author to come aboard the publisher's main roster.

The addition of R.J. Sullivan comes close after Seventh Star Press' strongest year yet, during which titles such as Jackie Gamber's Redheart and Michael West's Cinema of Shadows received excellent critical reception, and the artwork featured by the press also received increased recognition, as Matthew Perry recently won Top Cover Art in the 2011 Tor.com Readers Choice Awards for his cover art on Stephen Zimmer's The Seventh Throne.

The first title to be released by Seventh Star Press, Haunting Obsession, tells the story of Daryl Beasley. Daryl collects all things Maxine Marie, whose famous curves and fast lifestyle made her a Hollywood icon for decades after her tragic death. Daryl's girlfriend, Loretta Stevens, knew about his geeky lifestyle when they started dating, but she loves him, quirks and all.

Then one day Daryl chooses to buy a particularly tacky piece of memorabilia instead of Loretta's birthday present. Daryl ends up in the doghouse, not only with Loretta, but with Maxine Marie herself. The legendary blonde returns from the dead to give Daryl a piece of her mind—and a haunting obsession he'll never forget.

A member of the Indiana Horror Writers, R. J. Sullivan resides with his family in Heartland Crossing, Indiana. His first novel, Haunting Blue, is an edgy paranormal thriller about punk girl loner Fiona "Blue" Shaefer and her boyfriend Chip Farren.

R.J. is hard at work on the next chapter in Fiona's story, Virtual Blue, which will be released in 2013, followed by two more novels over the course of 2013 and 2014.

"I was with Michael West at several events last year, and I couldn't help but notice the slick marketing materials he was handing out," R.J. Sullivan commented as to why he wanted to bring his work to Seventh Star Press. "I saw how Seventh Star had a personal presence nearby to assist at the cons. I realized that having the publisher at those events changes the convention vibe, which can otherwise be an isolated experience. I love that they produce interior artwork as part of their product--it shows an understanding of the genre and its readers. It's clear Seventh Star understand the modern publishing world, and does everything they can to open up opportunities for the author to succeed."

Bonnie Wasson, whose cover art and illustrations are featured in Seventh Star Press titles such as D.A. Adams' The Brotherhood of Dwarves series, will be creating the artwork for the R.J. Sullivan novels.

Haunting Obsession will be released in limited hardcover, softcover (trade paperback), and several eBook editions, including versions for Kindle, Nook, the iBookstore, and Sony-compatible devices.

For further information on R.J. Sullivan and the upcoming releases, please visit www.seventhstarpress.com or the author's site at www.rjsullivanfiction.com

Contact: C.C. James
Public Relations, Seventh Star Press
ccjames@seventhstarpress.com

Seventh Star Press is a small press publisher of speculative fiction located in Lexington Kentucky

The Seventh Throne Lands Top Cover and Ties for 3rd Top Novel in 2011 Tor.com Readers Choice Awards!

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 22:01:37 PST

2011 Tor.com Readers Choice Awards Announcement!

Major announcement! Tor.com announced the winners of the 2011 Reader's Choice Awards and we have great news to pass along!

The Seventh Throne (author Stephen Zimmer) lands First Place for Top Cover Art! Congratulations to Matthew Perry, the cover artist and illustrator for the Rising Dawn Saga titles!

The Seventh Throne ties for third for Top Novel with Brandon Sanderson's The Alloy of Law (following Patrick Rothfuss's The Wise Man's Fear (first) and Scott Sigler's The All-Pro (2nd)). Congratulations to author Stephen Zimmer!

Please follow the link below to read the full results and to see the scrutiny that Tor.com applied to the vote totals to ensure authenticity.

Thank you to all the readers who showed their support of The Seventh Throne. This could not

We thank Tor.com for giving small presses the opportunity to be considered in the Reader's Choice Awards poll. Tor is a true legend of the fantasy genre!

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/02/announcing-the-winners-of-the-2011-torcom-readers-choice-awards

The Process of Cover Creation

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:17:05 PST

The Process of Cover Creation

by Ren Garcia

Now that the Temple Trilogy is out in the world, we continue forward with LoE Book VI: The Sands of the Solar Empire. This is always my favorite time as we knock heads and come up with the design of the book. The manuscript is totally done–finished it about a year and a half ago. Of course as I go through the edited copy I’ll, do doubt, make a few changes here and there, but that’s all minor stuff.

It’s time to get the cover of the book going. The Cover creation goes in a very orderly progression, first from my head, then to Carol Phillips, then to sketch and then to paint.

I thought I’d illustrate the process using Book II, The Hazards of the Old Ones as a template.

1)–Concept
First I come up with an idea. I usually have several floating around in my head. I then give them to Carol and I let her pick out the ones she’s most interested in painting (you’ve got to keep your artist empowered and excited). In the case of the Hazards, I took a photo of my favorite idea. My wife standing there represents Lt. Kilos, Tweety is Carahil and my house represents the mountains. Usually my ideas are pretty simple and uncluttered–I leave it to Carol to fill up the composition. Note how I imagined the painting from directly behind the characters.

2)–Sketch
Carol then comes up with a series of simple sketches which get progressively more detailed until we come up with a final sketch. I give Carol a fair amount of freedom and her final product is almost always much more elaborate than what I had initially dreamed up. Note how Carol has tilted Lt. Kilos and Carahil so that you can see their faces, she also sketched the Mountains much differently than I had envisioned them. That’s part of the creative process–things never quite turn out exactly as you originally thought they would.

At this stage of the process being small comes into its own. We don’t have a legal department or a Board of Executives or a line of editors waiting to throw their two-cents in–we do what feels right without having to get it past a committee. What you eventually see, for good or ill, is exactly how we intended it to be.

3)–Painting.
This is by far the longest part of the process. Carol Phillips usually takes about two and a half months to complete a cover from end to end. I try to leave her alone during this grueling part of the game, but it’s unbearable sometimes–like waiting for Christmas to roll around. Fortunately, Carol has a lot of patience with me. Note: we always choose to make use of a Wrap Cover, one that goes all the we around from the front, across the spine to the back.

4–Nixies
We almost always come up with a few extras that we hadn’t thought of at the outset. I sit there and dream something up, pitch it to Carol and then she adds it in. Often times these Nixies don’t jive with the continuity of the story, but we toss them in anyway because we think they look cool. In this example you can see the reflection of Mabs the Cat Goddess in Carahil’s shiny body. That was a late add-in.

Building the cover is always a labor of love, but the end result is always worth it.

Bowl Naked
RG
(images in this post copyright 2012, Ren Garcia and Carol Phillips)

Win some Ren Garcia Books!

Ren wants to give some books away. This graphic is a puzzle that will be appearing in Book VI: The Sands of the Solar Empire.

Here's his message: "To anybody who can correctly solve the puzzle, I'll send, totally free, the Temple Trilogy: The Dead Held hands, The Machine, and the Temple of the Exploding Head."

Here's the image:

First one to comment with the correct answer wins! Leave an email address in your comment for Ren to contact you:

Visit Ren's blog and website:
http://thetempleoftheexplodinghead.wordpress.com

http://www.theleagueofelder.com

Illustrations and Limited Hardcover/eBook Pre-Order Offer Unveiled for Michael West's Urban Fantasy Novel Poseidon's Children

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:02:52 PST

Take a Look at the Pre-order options today!

For Immediate Release
February 15, 2012

Illustrations and Limited Hardcover/eBook Pre-Order Offer Unveiled for Michael West's Urban Fantasy Novel Poseidon's Children.

Seventh Star Press is proud to unveil 2 new Matthew Perry illustrations and the start of pre-orders for Michael West's urban fantasy novel Poseidon's Children, Book One of the Legacy of the Gods series.

The new urban fantasy series is Michael's second with Seventh Star Press, following the extremely successful release of Cinema of Shadows, his latest Harmony Indiana novel, in 2011. The Legacy of the Gods series is set to build rapidly upon Michael's horror readership, introducing his well-crafted storytelling to urban fantasy audiences everywhere.

Increasingly recognized for the high quality of its limited hardcover editions, Seventh Star Press is making available a new pre-order offer that allows readers and collectors to secure both a collectible, signed hardcover of Poseidon's Children (out of a run of just 75 copies), as well as an eBook version suited for their particular eReaders (Kindle or Nook editions will be "gifted" by Seventh Star Press on the day of release).

The bundle of a hardcover and eBook edition is accompanied by a sharp set of glossy 5X7 art cards, featuring the interior illustrations found in Poseidon's Children, as well as bookmarks from the novel and a set of thee collectible magnets. The price for the hardcover/eBook bundle and exrras is one readers will find very attractive at just $32.95. The hardcovers (and pre-ordered softcovers) will be signed and numbered by Michael on Saturday, March 17 and shipped out on the 19th.

The illustrations for Poseidon's Children were created by highly acclaimed fantasy/horror artist Matthew Perry, who also does the artwork for Michael's Harmony Indiana Novels with Seventh Star Press. The Poseidon's Children project also reunited Michael with his Cinema of Shadows editor, Amanda DeBord.

In Poseidon's Children, man no longer worships the old gods; forgotten and forsaken, they have become nothing more than myth and legend. But all that is about to change. After the ruins of a vast, ancient civilization are discovered on the ocean floor, Coast Guard officers find a series of derelict ships drifting in the current--high-priced yachts and leaking fishing boats, all ransacked, splattered in blood, their crews missing and presumed dead.

And that's just the beginning.

Vacationing artist Larry Neuhaus has just witnessed a gruesome shark attack, a young couple torn apart right before his eyes ... at least, he thinks it was a shark. And when one of these victims turns out to be the only son of Roger Hays, the most powerful man in the country, things go from bad to worse. Now, to stop the carnage,Larry and his new-found friends must work together to unravel a mystery as old as time, and face an enemy as dark as the ocean depths.

Michael West is fresh from a great reception of his first Seventh Star Press release, the Harmony Indiana novel Cinema of Shadows. His other works include novels such as The Wide Game (Graveside Tales) and a single author collection, Skull Full of Kisses (Graveside Tales). He also has an array of short fiction published, spanning many magazines and anthologies, including appearances in Shroud Magazine, and the Apex Science Fiction and Horror Digest.

Poseidon's Children will be released in limited hardcover, trade paperback, and several eBook formats, such Kindle, iPad, the Nook, and Sony/Sony compatible eBook reading devices. The second novel in the series is slated for the spring of 2013, with other two planned titles to follow on an annual basis.

Updates and additional information can be obtained at the official site for Seventh Star Press, at www.seventhstarpress.com, or at the author's site, www.bymichaelwest.com

Contact: C.C. James
Public Relations, Seventh Star Press
ccjames@seventhstarpress.com

Seventh Star Press is a small press publisher of speculative fiction located in Lexington Kentucky.

Emperor Palpatine Reads George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones!

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:42:25 PST

Editor's Note: Today we introduce the talents of Jeff Yonosick, a fine fellow and writer who makes his Seventh Star Press blog debut with his Emperor Palpatine Reads feature! In this first one, Emperor Palpatine Reads: A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin. For readers short on time, these features will help you cut to the chase!

Emperor Palpatine Reads

by Jeff Yonosick

Here on Valentine's Day is George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones, as if it were read by Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars:

"Something...Something....Something Winter is Coming! Something....something....something...Dire Wolves! Something....Something....Something BASTARDS! Something...Something....Something INCEST! something...something...something WHORES!!!! Something...something..something Everyone you care about is DEAD!!! Good Read YES!!!!"

Connect with Jeff Yonosick today on FaceBook at: http://www.facebook.com/jeff.yonosick

The Decade (More or Less) of the Geek

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:52:14 PST

The Decade (More or Less) of the Geek
By R.J. Sullivan

I recall sitting in the theater with my comic book/sci-fi buddies in the month of May in the year 2000, waiting in anticipation to lay our collective eyes on the first X-MEN film. There was something in the air, a general sense that the success of this film could lead to "good things." Sure, Superman had scored big back in 1978, but movies of that scale were too expensive and too time consuming for viable franchises to grow from them. Not so with the X-MEN. Finally, the technology existed to launch a viable, good-looking superhero film at a middling budget.

We’ve come a long, long way since then! It’s amazing to me, to review back on how much that first X-men movie seemed to be the lit fuse that led to a"geek-slosion." Starting with the X-men, and rapidly after, geeks quickly saw much of their cult status underground "vocabulary" break through into the mainstream. Let's review.

Spider-man

He was Marvel Comics’ superstar superhero, known to millions of devoted comic book readers, but until 2001, previous media attempts to bring this comic book icon to the general public had been decidedly less than stellar. Sure, he had plenty of cartoons, including the truly horrible one with that stupid-catchy theme, a live action attempt in the 70s that defines "mediocre", and a few better animated attempts in the 90s. Although he seemed the natural answer to the success of Superman back in 1978, the truth is, although Spider-man is less powerful than Superman, it’s far easier to make you believe a man can fly than it is to make you believe he can shoot webs from his wrists and swing between buildings like an urban Tarzan.

Whatever you may think of the details (as a Spider-man purist I have MANY problems with the 2001 origin and Green Goblin story) the movie succeeded in finally bringing forward, front and center, the prime reason why geeks resonated with Spider-man all these years. The murder of his Uncle Ben, and the guilt that followed from that event, so important in shaping the man Parker becomes, was finally properly told. Before 2001, millions of people knew Spider-man on TV, but only geeks could recite “with great power comes great responsibility.” After 2001, that was no longer true.

Lord of the Rings

For decades, prior to 2001, hardcore Tolkien fans identified themselves at conventions with key phrases. “One ring to rule them.” “I wants it, me precious,” not to mention references to Frodo, Strider, Sam Gamgee, and Gandalf, the original blue-capped wizard. I still remember some time around 2002, walking through the halls of the corporate office where I worked at the time, and hearing these key phrases repeated from cubicle to cubicle. Mundanes name-dropping Gollum? Remember the day all the "trendy" people carrying around their three-in-one volumes of Lord of the Rings? How messed up was that?

Doctor Who

The term "reimagined" is overused these days, but all other transformations pale in comparison to Doctor Who's transformation from—let's be honest—a fairly dorky cult program to the coolest man in the room! Seriously, how did that happen? The 2000s marked the time when Doctor Who became cool, and that's a statement taken so much for granted these days that a lot of younger people won't even know what I'm talking about. Back in the 80s, Doctor Who was the geek show too geeky for most other geeks. With its given ultra-low budget and outrageous look, you had to meet it halfway and pay close attention to appreciate it (A talent I fear is becoming a lost art to the modern viewer) Here in Indiana, Trekkies mocked “Whoosiers” as a way to make themselves feel better. Until it broke into the mainstream, there was nothing about Doctor Who that indicated it had any chance of breaking into the mainstream.

Star Trek and Star Wars

While I was glad to see the mainstream love shown both franchises, I have little good to say about the actual films from both franchises since 1999. (Yes, I'm one of those people.)

Thor and Green Lantern and Captain America, oh, my!

It seems like for the past few years you can't have a summer movie season without a few new superhero movies sprinkled in. How ironic, that I now live in a world I'd hoped to see for decades, and yet as the quantity of super-films pile up around me, I grow numb to the repeated theme of one more common shlep getting hit with the super-origin and learning life's lessons while forced to save humanity, or whatever. Odd that I find myself wishing that the trend would reverse itself and create fewer of them.

It seems to me that with the "cranking out" mentality of Hollywood, the superhero genre has films on par with other genres: dramas, comedies, chick flicks, etc, and now fall into their buckets of the good, the "meh," and the bad. For every awesome Iron Man we also get the dreadful sequel. We've watched a franchise like the X-Men take a significant dip in quality, then come back up into the "okay" category over 5 films. For every Watchman and Dark Knight, we get a helping of The Spirit or Ghost Rider, and even "event" films like Green Lantern and Superman Returns and Spiderman 3 (HOW did those fail so spectacularly?) can fall short of expectations due to the demand to rush product out to the masses.

I'm hopeful the forthcoming Avengers film coming out this summer might mark the "cap" to Marvel's churning out of mid-level pictures in favor of fewer event films. (Though I hope DC gets their act together and puts out a decent Wonder Woman before this trend comes to a halt).

Or maybe I should stop complaining and ride this wave of nerd-dom; this time where the geeks have inherited the Earth and pulled the wool over the mundanes. Yeah, Fantasy Football players, I'm talking to you.

~RJ Sullivan

To find out more about RJ Sullivan and his literary works, please visit:
www.rjsullivanfiction.com

All 3 Brotherhood of Dwarves Titles Now Available on Kindle and Nook

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:11:35 PST

We wanted to let everyone know that the first three titles in D.A. Adams' fantastic series, The Brotherhood of Dwarves, are now available on the Kindle and the Nook.

ALL titles, Kindle or Nook, are just $2.99

Kindle

Nook

This link will take you to a page that has all three books linked off of it:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/The-Brotherhood-of-Dwarves?store=ALLPRODUCTS&keyword=The+Brotherhood+of+Dwarves

Pick of the Week: First Cause, by Paul West

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:28:02 PST

Pick of the Week (#14): First Cause, by Paul West
(Self-Published)
-Selection made by Rodney Carlstrom

The Book:The world is in chaos from a two-day battery of explosions in many of its major cities. A week after the explosions, journalist Adam Grey wakes up in the hospital. He pieces together the events leading to his injury, involving a woman named Angela. Senator Cyrus Reardon has been appointed the new President of the United States' decimated government. A politician who isn't generally fond of his peers, he's faced with leading a discordant provisional Cabinet, addressing the nation's growing panic, and trying to separate fact from fiction. Confronted with the truth behind the attacks, they--along with the world at large--are forced to reconsider conventional assumptions about human nature and possibility. Everything we know is until we find out otherwise...

The Author: Paul West was born and raised in New York City; he currently resides in Harlem, where he has lived for much of his life. After graduating from NYU with a B.A. in History, he worked in the education and nonprofit world for many years before switching lanes and working in advertising and then fashion.

First Cause was conceived as a screenplay idea in the early 1990s, when West was still an undergraduate; he shelved the project for nearly a decade, and began work again in 1999.

Paul West is a sports enthusiast, student of people, lover of music, voracious reader and fervent believer in human possibility.

The Publisher: Self-Published

My Comments: First Cause is a complex web of a story.

With his debut novel, Paul West has managed to find a way to subtly weave a tale about the human condition and human possibilities into a rich tapestry. As much a social commentary as it is a sucker punch to the gut, First Cause is the ideal gift for unsuspecting readers.

Let that not dissuade, however, for West has succeeded in his mission: entertain the reader first, then deliver with a left hook. Yes, it will undoubtedly hurt at first, but the pain will be a welcome relief to the numb, dumbed down zombie that sat reading the book before. Once that first blow has been delivered it then becomes much easier for the reader to look further into the woven web and deeper into the philosophy that West has presented. Upon first reading, the subtlety of it might pass the readers eyes, but on second look what is presented to the reader is something that should be ingrained into every fiber of the human being, encoded into DNA and allowed to find its way into the world, to multiply and come to fruition.

Although West has managed to do all of this and more, the vehicle with which he has decided to do it will, to some readers, come off a bit clunky in spots. First Cause begins with the reader thrust into the middle of the action, unsure and as confused as the characters in the first handful of pages. From there the story begins to build and unfold with the help of multiple flashbacks; fragments of memory that read as though they were pieced together hastily. Something that might make it hard to follow for most readers.

Overall, First Cause might not be every readers cup of tea. This is a thinking man's book, and something that should not be ignored. If readers enjoy intellegent writing that will make them think, then there should not be any hesitancy in acquiring a copy of Paul West's thought provoking debut. Any future titles by West should not be ignored; knowledge that readers who finish First Cause will be rewarded with.

-Rodney

So make First Cause, by Paul West, the SSP Blog Pick of the Week!

Pick up First Cause today! Direct softcover and Kindle links below:

Softcover

Kindle:

The War Has Begun: Amazon vs. B&N

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:40:44 PST

The War Has Begun
by Frank Hall

The War has begun!

Barnes and Noble drew a line in the sand, and an all-out war came into being. They decided that they would not carry Amazon's publishing house titles. This proclamation was felt at the headquarters of Amazon.com.

The building shook with the power of this decision.......actually it was just the people on the top floor falling out of their chairs and laughing their collective asses off at the stupidity of Barnes and Noble and the other Independent stores that followed their lead.

This is how I see it.

Amazon: We have a publishing house. We are going to not only sell books, but make them too.
B&N: WHAT!!!!! You can't do that! We wont stand for that!
Amazon: .....
B&N: We will not carry your books from your press in our store. If any of our customers want that book, they will need to get it from you.
Amazon: ....OK!

Seriously, does B&N not realize that by refusing to stock books from them they are only going to make their customers go to Amazon.com to buy the book? And hey, while they are there, why not just buy that other book they were wanting? Heck, who needs to go to B&N anyway, especially since they are not going to have the book I want?

And what is up with these small independent bookstores following along this line of stupidity. They are always complaining about losing customers, and here they are REFUSING to carry books.

Hell that is what they are there for. TO CARRY BOOKS!!!!!!

You can damn well believe that if I owned an independent bookstore and my competition said they would not be carrying a line of books, i would have all sorts of advertizing going.

Hey, come here! We have the books that you are looking for...unlike them -->

Hey wait! I DO own an independent bookstore. I also own a small press. So does that mean that B&N is not going to stock my books. Oh..wait...I am a small press that uses a POD to print my titles. I am just starting out, and have only a few titles out. They are not going to stock my books anyway. Yet on Amazon, several of them have several 5 star reviews....and ONLY 5 star reviews. Amazon sells my books. They have no problem with me owning a bookstore also.

This "WAR" that B&N is trying to create is only going to hurt them and strengthen Amazon.

~Frank Hall

Owner of That Book Place and Hydra Publications

Visit the sites for That Book Place and Hydra Publications:

www.thatbookplace.com
www.hydrapublications.com

Firearms in Fiction

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:49:01 PST

Firearms in Fiction

by Terry W. Ervin II

All too often I’ve come across writers working on a short story or first novel involving a character carrying and using a firearm, and they (both the writer and the character) simply refer to it as "a gun" and "my gun."

Sure, it depends on the context. A steamy romance where the main character comments that she keeps a gun in her vanity’s drawer just in case is different than a hard-boiled mystery where a detective ventures daily into inner city neighborhoods packing heat or a heroine armed with silver bullets ready to fend off werewolves. The latter two would certainly be more intimate with the trusted firearm than would be the steamy romance character.

In the context of some stories, writers don’t even narrow the ‘gun’ used to a revolver, hunting rifle or shotgun, but they write as if the individual is competent, if not an expert with the firearm they’re carrying and using.

Quite often, upon asking a writer whose manuscript I am reviewing what type of firearm the character used in a particular scene, the response often is, “I don’t know.” That is usually followed up by, “I don’t really like guns” or “I don’t know the first thing about guns.” Then they ask, “Does it really matter?”

I think it matters. The limitations of a firearm based on the caliber or the effective range makes a difference. Can it be carried concealed and if so, where and how will that affect the character’s wardrobe? Failure to incorporate such basic knowledge could annoy, if not turn off, an entire segment of an author's the potential reading audience.

Does the writer have to own or be an expert in firearms to include them in his or her fiction? Absolutely not. But a writer, for example, who researches in great detail the layout of a city where the short story or novel’s action takes place, shouldn’t brush aside proper research on the firearms intimately involved in the action.

Online research is a good place to get the basics. Visiting a local gun store with questions will often net in-depth answers. An uncle that’s hunted whitetail deer every fall since he was thirteen could provide enough details about how a shotgun works, its recoil, types of shells, strengths and limitations to enable the prose to be both authentic and accurate. In my experience it’s a rare instance where someone balks at helping a writer with content in an area where he or she is experienced and knowledgeable. The individuals may even offer to take the author shooting, if desired, so that the author can get hands-on experience and understanding.

A little time and research effort can pay great dividends in the depth, quality, and authenticity of a writer's manuscript, the result being a more believable and enjoyable reader experience.

Did you enjoy this article? Learn more about Terry Ervin and his works at his website and blog:
www.ervin-author.com
http://uparoundthecorner.blogspot.com/

And be sure to check out Terry's outstanding fantasy novels:

Pick up Flank Hawk today! Direct Softcover and Kindle Links Below:
Softcover:

Kindle:

Pick up Blood Sword today! Direct softcover and Kindle links below:

Softcover

Kindle

not VAMPIRE: ALIEN

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:00:25 PST

not VAMPIRE: ALIEN

by Ren Garcia

It’s all about marketing, people. I always try to stay keen on what’s attracting people at the various shows; on what pulls folks in, what causes them to stop and foster up a conversation.

I often go to shows with my friend, fellow author Denise Verrico (Cara Mia). It’s better to go in pairs, as you’ve got a wingman to watch your back and keep your chin up. Denise writes urban horror/ vampire books. She has a furry little pillow that she brings with her that says “I Love Vampires.” I noticed that her little pillow was reasonably successful in making people stop and talk. “Oh, I just love vampires,” folks often said, bouncing up and down.

I just loooooove vampires …

And the wheels in my fiendish little Chipotle-soaked brain began to turn.

I do not write about vampires. I write about loose sci-fi fantasy and romance, lots of people fighting and wearing odd clothes in space, or wearing nothing at all as the case may be. It occurred to me that I needed to capitalize on the popularity of vampires to help attract attention–not on vampires themselves, but the word: Vampire. If I could tack up some big, proud marketing with the word VAMPIRE blasted out in lurid print, then maybe, just maybe, I could snag some of those Vampire-lovers to my table. And, then, using all the charm at my disposal, I could seduce the buggers and send them away with a League of Elder book tucked under their arm before they knew what the heck was going on. It just had to work. I just needed to figure out how to do it without libeling myself in the process.

My favorite heroine of the Temple of the Exploding Head trilogy, Lady Sammidoran of Monama, came to my rescue. Sam, all chalk white and matte black, has a rather Night-Stalking look to her. Sure, she looks an awful lot like a vampire. Of course, Sam isn’t a vampire, she’s an alien and ….

Ah … mindwave.

I had this painting done up for me by Eve Ventrue, that Teutonic Titan from Germany, of Sam and her man, Lord Kabyl. It was perfect. All I needed was a slogan. So, Sam looks lie a vampire, but she’s not. She’s an alien. So, how about using a play on words: not vampire, alien. Yes, I liked that, and, I’d strumpet it out there in gigantic, all caps text: not VAMPIRE: no, no: ALIEN.

I had Eve paint me up a second Sam/Kay pic, this time donning Sam in a pair of steampunk goggles. And, it works. People stop all the time and look at it. Getting people to stop and talk is the key to success. I had shirts made of it as well, and I sold out of them at a recent show.

So, when in doubt and you need a marketing angle, use pop culture and twist its ear a little to suit your needs. Works every time.

Bowl Naked

RG

Ren Garcia on Facebook

Ren Garcia on Twitter

Visit Ren's blog and website:
http://thetempleoftheexplodinghead.wordpress.com

http://www.theleagueofelder.com

Would you like to be introduced into Ren's literary world? Here's a couple of titles that will get you underway!:

New Cover Arts Revealed and Special Print-eBook Bundle Announced for Brotherhood of Dwarves Series

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:35:03 PST

Read the press release below the images!

For Immediate Release
January 17, 2012
Cover Art Revealed and Special Print-eBook Bundle Announced for Reissue of First Two Titles in The Brotherhood of Dwarves Series

Seventh Star Press proudly announces the reissues of the first two books in The Brotherhood of Dwarves series, The Brotherhood of Dwarves, and Red Sky at Dawn.

To commemmorate the Seventh Star Press editions of these two titles, the publisher is offering special bundles that combine both the print and eBook versions of the books. Readers can get the first two books in this fashion, or a bundle of all three books in the series including the recently-released third title, The Fall of Dorkhun.

The Brotherhood of Dwarves and Red Sky at Dawn feature covers and illustrations from fantasy artist Bonnie Wasson. The latest artist to work with Seventh Star Press, Bonnie created and designed a new look for the first two titles that is consistent with the brand new third release.

The first two books were originally self-published by D.A. Adams and edited by Sherrie Shuler. They became strong sellers on the convention circuit and received a wave of positive reviews. The reissues were planned when D.A. came aboard Seventh Star Press for the release of his latest installment, The Fall of Dorkhun.

( interior illustrations by Bonnie Wasson for The Brotherhood of Dwarves and Red Sky at Dawn)

Living and working in East Tennessee, D. A. Adams is an established novelist, a farmer, and professor of English. He has contributed writing to literary and fine art publications, and maintains an active blog, entitled "The Ramblings of D. A. Adams".

Softcover and eBook formats will be available by mid-February, with a collectors' hardcover limited editions planned for mid-summer of 2012.

(all three covers side by side)

Those wanting to pre-order one of the special softcover-eBook bundles should visit: http://www.seventhstarpress.com/documents/books.html

Updates and additional information can be obtained at the official site for Seventh Star Press, at www.seventhstarpress.com , or at the author's site at www.brotherhoodofdwarves.com

Contact: C.C. James
Public Relations, Seventh Star Press
email: ccjames at seventhstarpress.com

Seventh Star Press is a small press publisher of speculative fiction located in Lexington Kentucky.

Rodney's New Year's Resolutions...Two Weeks In!

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:26:47 PST

My New Year's Resolutions

I am a reviewer.

But, first and foremost, I'm a reader. As the second week of 2012 comes to a close, I sit here thinking about the choices I've made in these past two weeks, and how sometimes I don't know when to slow the hell down.

You see, I'm one of those that makes New Year's resolutions. I never used to be like that, but soon after I started writing reviews for the world to read, I realized that in order to make a name for myself and the site, I'd have to come up with a plan to optimize my time. By doing that, I would have more time to use towards reading, writing and maintaining the site. That was August of 2009.

Now, I sit here reflecting on these new resolutions for 2012, and just how far I've come since New Years Day of 2010. You see, it was then that I came up with the crazy idea to read 100 (one hundred) novels in a year. Whether I reviewed them all was a different matter. At the time I was so ambitious and ready to take on the world, that I told myself that that was exactly what I would do: I'd read 100 books and write a review for every last damn one of them, even if it killed me. Even if it meant I had no social life in 2010. I also set a goal of finding a way to optimize my time, that way I could reach my goal.

The idea came to me, after having visited horror author Brian Keene's year-end Top 10 Books of *insert year here*. In that post he mentioned that on average he managed to read 100 books or more in a year. Sometimes he fell short, but more often than not, he managed to click over, or far surpass his goal. That struck me hard. As a 19 year old who wanted nothing more than to write for a living (a dream and goal that is still with me to this day, more than ever I might add), I took those words too heart. Probably too far, if you ask me. So, I made it my New Year's resolution.

Like most people with the ambition and the drive to accomplish their New Year's resolutions, I didn't exactly make it to the end of my goal. I'd like to say that I blew it out of the freakin' water, but that would be lying, and as my momma always says: “liars go to Hell.” And seeing as I'm not very fond of Hell, I'll try not to stray too far from the truth. That year, I read 67 titles in the span of 365 days. I was working part-time, and going to school the other half of the time. Not too shabby, but it wasn't close enough.

As 2010 bled into 2011, I aimed for the same goal: read 100 novels in a year. I told myself that even if I didn't hit 100, as long as I clicked over 68 titles, I'd be happy with myself. I did better than 68, but not by much. Last year, I only managed to read a meager six titles more than the previous year. I had been working up until August, and finished school for the Spring semester before taking the Summer and Fall semesters off. I took on a new position with a company, but I still had plenty of time on my hands.

So now, with 2011 finally under wraps, I can officially say that it was another year I failed my goal. Another year where I didn't review everything that I could. The last few months of 2011, I found myself speeding through book after book, but never managed to find time to write reviews for them. I can sit here and say that I did my best, but who am I kidding? I had time. And plenty of it. I wasn't happy with myself, and I'm still not. But such is life.

It was several weeks before the end of '11, and I knew that I had blown my goal. So, I sat down and started work on a strategy for the new year. I swore to myself up and down that this year would be different that the past two. They say that the third time's the charm, and even though my OCD would argue with that, I decided to take that adage to heart. This year would be the year that I didn't do just a little better than last, no. 2012 would be the year that I would blow the past two years out of the water.

At the very least, I'd hit 100 titles read in 2012. My strategy to do this was simple: I would read a short story a day, for a year. As much as I'd like to credit this idea to myself, I can't. One evening, a little before I sat down to come up with a strategy for the new year, I had an interesting conversation with fellow writer Nicole Cushing. Throughout the evening she talked about reading a short story a day. I didn't think much of it at first, but several days later, after recounting that evening to my girlfriend over the phone, something about the concept struck my fancy. So I stored it for later analysis.

A short story a day. Five to forty-five minutes of my day where I did nothing but devote my attention to a couple of thousand words. And when they ended, I would reach my daily goal. It was genius. Not only would reading a short story a day for an entire year help me with understanding the structure and concept of writing a short story, but if done right, could very well be the catalyst I needed for surpassing my yearly New Year's resolution of reading a 100 books in a year.

“Well a short story collection/anthology isn't a novel,” you might say. Yes, you're right, but most of the anthologies and collections that litter the shelves of brick and mortar bookstores these days are as long, if not longer than your traditional 80,000 word novel. So technically they could count. And if you still want to argue about it, tough. It's my New Year's resolution, and not yours. I make the rules, thank you very much.

I told all of that to tell you this: As of the close of the second week of the year, I'll have managed to have read 14 titles, -- seven to eight of which I plan on reviewing on Sci-Fi Guys -- before the end of January. (And yes I was smiling smugly as I typed that. Hell, I'm still smiling.) Three of those titles will be short story anthologies/collections. The other eleven will be a combination of novels, novellas, trade paperback comics, and non-fiction selections.

I recently managed to recount this to a dear out of town friend of mine, who after listening tentatively replied: “Sounds like you finally managed to beat your system/goals.”

I laughed, clapped him on the shoulder, and said: “No, I finally figured out how to manage my time.”

“Well, I guess we'll see if you reach your goals or not.” He said.

I smiled, and explained to him that I'd be keeping track of everything that I read in 2012, including individual short stories, not just personally, but publicly as well, on my personal blog The Bloody Pen (insert shameless plug here: www.thebloodypen.blogspot.com/).

“So, if I fall off the wagon, or get lazy you'll now. Just think, it'll give you more reason to call me!”

~Rodney

Be sure to visit The SciFi Guys Book Review blog or add them on Twitter at the following links:
scifiguysbookreview.blogspot.com
Twitter: twitter.com/scifiguysbkrev

Rodney's personal blog and Twitter page can be found at:
The Bloody Pen
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kidstaple

Pick of the Week: Muscle Memory, by Steve Lowe

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:34:19 PST

Pick of the Week (#13): Muscle Memory, by Steve Lowe
(Eraserhead Press)
- Selection made by Rodney Carlstrom

The Book: Billy Gillespie wakes up one morning to discover that his junk is gone. In its place is his wife's junk. Billy is now Tina, and Tina is dead. That's because Billy's dead. His lifeless body is still in bed and empty beer bottles and a container of antifreeze litter the kitchen counter. Over the next 24 hours, Billy and an odd assortment of neighbors, all experiencing their own bouts of body switcheroo, try to figure out what happened and why. Can they do it before the Feds find Billy's body? Was it aliens that caused this, or God, or the government? And did Edgar Winter really sleep with his sheep? Pro football Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw has those answers in a story that asks, What Would Kirk Cameron Do?

The Author: Steve Lowe is a former writer with the South Bend Tribune, and occasional stringer for the Associated Press. He also writes weird, dark, humorous fiction which contains just slightly more made-up content than his short stories. His first book, MUSCLE MEMORY, was published in 2010 by Eraserhead Press. His short fiction has appeared in the print anthologies AMAZING STORIES OF THE FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER, A HACKED-UP HOLIDAY MASSACRE, and DEAD BAIT, and several online venues including Three Crow Press and Unicorn Knife Fight.

The Publisher: Founded in 1999, Eraserhead Press is an independent publishing company with a focus on Bizarro Fiction, with an aim to bring you the weirdest most fun to read books you'll ever find. For more information about Bizarro Fiction visit: www.bizarrocentral.com

My Comments: In short fiction, it takes a lot to find the right words, or for that matter the proper way to convey a story. Limitations help to prove the authors abilities, and quite honestly, short fiction is the determining factor for me when it comes to a new author. If they can successfully pull of a short story, novella, or novelette and leave me wandering, or thinking hard after finishing it, then they get my stamp of approval. And more times than not, I end up going back that authors stuff, in every capacity available.

Steve Lowe is now one of those authors. From the get-go, reading the synopsis for the novella, it just sounded awesome. In a world where it seems tropes are the common thing; overdone and horribly at that, it's nice to see an author able to take an old favorite and breath new life into it. Steve does this brilliantly in Muscle Memory, with the Ol' Switcheroo. Think Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Freaky Friday; Like Father, Like Son, and Vice-Versa, and then take those and flip 'em on their heads. Throw in a dash of government conspiracy, aliens, male breast feeding,and a talking sheep, and you've got Muscle Memory.

When he's not pulling on your heartstrings, he's making you laugh your ass off. And he does a remarkable job of both with believable characters, and a populated town that took me back in time to my hometown; very recognizable people that just added a whole other layer of down-right hilarity to the mix.

-Rodney

So make Muscle Memory, by Steve Lowe(Eraserhead Press) the SSP Blog Pick of the Week!

Pick up Muscle Memory today! Direct softcover and Kindle links below:

Softcover

Kindle Edition

Happy New Year! Call For Submissions for SSP's First Anthology!

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 08:18:47 PST

Happy New Year! We're hitting the ground running in 2012 without delay! We are proud to announce our first anthology project, to be edited by Joshua Leet! The window is now open for submissions. Please read the information below for further details.

For Immediate Release
January 1, 2012

Seventh Star Press Announces Call For Submissions For New Fantasy Anthology

Seventh Star Press is proud to announce a call for submissions for an exciting new anthology to be edited by Joshua Leet, entitled The End Was Not the End: Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy Tales.

The stories can be up to 10,000 words in length, and must be set within a setting ranging between ancient worlds, like the Sword and Sorcery Hyborean Age of Robert E. Howard, to medieval settings like those found in many epic fantasy series. Timed appropriately for 2012, the anthology will focus on the aftermath of an apocalypse.

The stories can have any style or feature any Earth culture-inspired background, such as the more commonly encountered european-based knights and wizards, to Viking sagas, Russian folklore, Chinese wuxia, Japanese samurai, and Native American environments, just to name a few. The apocalypse itself can be whatever suits the writer, be it magical catastrophe, plague, monster horde, the death of gods, etc. It can include modern catastrophes that precipitated regression in technological level to a medieval or ancient world type level. The stories should have a serious overall tone, and can range from action-driven to tales with a darker edge.

The concept for the anthology was first pitched by Seventh Star Press author Stephen Zimmer, who writes the Fires in Eden series (epic fantasy) and the Rising Dawn Saga (epic-scale urban fantasy). Joshua Leet expressed a desire to serve as the editor of Seventh Star Press' first anthology project, and worked with Stephen to solidfy the project concept. The project represents Stephen's first as a commissioning editor.

Joshua is currently serving as the editor for Sela, the forthcoming second book in the Leland Dragon Series by Jackie Gamber, as well as the newest Gorias La Gaul adventure from Steven Shrewsbury, titled Overkill. Joshua is not only an editor, but is also an author, whose credits include the recently released historical work Civil War Lexington, Kentucky: Bluegrass Breeding Ground of Power, co-authored with Karen Leet, as well as business projects such as two volumes he co-authored in the Compliance and Ethics field. Joshua's love for the fantasy genre and range of technical literary expertise promises to bring forth a debut anthology of outstanding quality for Seventh Star Press.

Submissions must be in by midnight on July 1, 2012. Provide a cover letter, and use standard manuscript format. RTF or Word Documents preferred for the file format. Communications and submissions should be directed to Joshua by email, using the address Joshua (at) seventhstarpress.com

The agreement on accepted stories will be for first print and digital rights, with exclusivity for one year from date of publication. After this time, authors are free to re-sell their stories in other markets. The stories need to be original works, and no previously published characters or properties will be accepted.

The anthology is planned for release in eBook, limited hardcover, and softcover formats in the 4th quarter of 2012. A royalty pool will be generated on print and eBook sales, at a rate of 10% royalties for print, and a rate of 50% royalties for eBooks, with each included story having an equal share of the royalty pool. Royalty statements and payments will be made biannually. All included authors will receive a complimentary trade paperback copy of the anthology.

Updates and additional information can be obtained at the official site for Seventh Star Press, at www.seventhstarpress.com,

Contact: C.C. James
Public Relations, Seventh Star Press
ccjames@seventhstarpress.com

Seventh Star Press is a small press publisher of speculative fiction located in Lexington Kentucky.

Seventh Star Singles: An innovative new eBook line!

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:54:13 PST

Welcome to Seventh Star Singles! It is an exciting and creative approach to eBooks involving the writers of various series with us. Steven Shrewsbury has two new Gorias La Gaul Adventures, and Stephen Zimmer has three new tales set in Ave (of the Fires in Eden Series) and one new one from the world of the Rising Dawn Saga.

They are just 99 cents, and available now on Kindle (Nook should be available by this evening).

The stories are stand-alone tales, but they offer more material to the fans of the various series.

Steven Shrewsbury's new collection is called Blood and Steel: Legends of La Gaul

Stephen Zimmer's are titled the Chronicles of Ave and the Annals of the Rising Dawn.

Expect these collections to grow in the months to come!

The full press release can be found here:
http://seventhstarpress.com/documents/press_releases.html

And for a breakdown of the first six eBook short stories, visit here: http://seventhstarpress.com/documents/seventh_star_singles.html

Pick of the Week: Blood Sword, by Terry W. Ervin II

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:32:57 PST

Pick of the Week (#12): Blood Sword, by Terry W. Ervin II
(Gryphonwood Press)
-Selection made by Stephen Zimmer

The Book:The Necromancer King has been defeated and his surviving forces are in retreat. But a new threat marches against the Kingdom of Keesee, promising destruction. Scouting along the western frontier, Flank Hawk and Grand Wizard Seelain discover an army massing, the army of Fendra Jolain, Goddess of Healing. Weakened and battle weary, Keesee and her allies cannot withstand Fendra Jolain's powerful army of men and beasts arrayed against them. One hope of survival remains: Retrieve the Blood Sword from the immortal Colonel of the West and bring its sinister strength to the battlefield. To accomplish this end, Flank Hawk accompanies Grand Wizard Seelain as she leads a mission across land and sea. Together they find new allies while confronting new foes, learning that the war ravaging Keesee is part of a larger struggle whose roots stretch back to the First Civilization's Fall. If the Blood Sword can be obtained, it must be done quickly. Every day means more death for the defenders of Keesee. Every day is one day closer to utter defeat. Even if Flank Hawk can deliver the Blood Sword to King Tobias's hand in time, will the malevolent blade's magic be enough?

The Author: Terry W. Ervin II is an English teacher who enjoys writing Fantasy and Science Fiction. He is an editor for MindFlights, a guest columnist for Fiction Factor and is the author of two novels and over two dozen short stories and articles. Flank Hawk was his debut novel. When Terry isn't writing or enjoying time with his wife and daughters, he can be found in his basement raising turtles. To contact Terry, or to learn more about his writing endeavors, visit his website at www.ervin-author.com.

The Publisher: Founded in 2004 as a fantasy print/webzine, Gryphonwood Press publishes speculative fiction novels in print, including epic and modern fantasy, sci-fi, steampunk, and adventure with a touch of the supernatural. Gryphonwood is committed to introducing talented new voices to the field of speculative fiction. The roster of Gryphonwood Press includes authors such as David Wood, Jim Bernheimer, Terry W. Ervin II, and Sherry Thompson. Visit Gryphonwood Press on the web at http://www.gryphonwoodpress.com

My Comments: Blood Sword is simply an outstanding fantasy novel. Terry Ervin is really developing something very special with his First Civilization's Legacy series. I should say right away that the book would work well as a stand alone or in conjunction with his first novel, Flank Hawk (which is also the nickname of a main character in the series). As in his first novel, Terry weaves in a number of mythical creatures, putting his own stamp on each of them. From Centaurs to Griffins, and some very nasty sea creatures, there is much to encounter around every turn as Flank Hawk and his companions go on a very harrowing journey. The Necromancer of the first book was a great adversary, but Blood Sword ratchets up things up even more with a new, very powerful enemy. There is a really nice balance between action and character development. Some of the characters, like Lilly, really grow on you, and Terry has a knack for making them live and breath. Blood Sword is a tremendous installment in one of the most inventive and compelling fantasy sagas I have read in years.

-Stephen

So make Blood Sword by Terry W. Ervin II (from Gryphonwood Press) the SSP Blog Pick of the Week!

Pick up Blood Sword today! Direct softcover and Kindle links below:

Softcover

Kindle

Spec the Halls: Holiday Season Charity Project

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:58:35 PST

Today, we are passing along a guest post from Steven Saus, regarding a new charity project he is involved in. Steven is an author, teacher, and operates independent eBook services, and is one of the good guys of the small press/self-publishing world. We hope you give this project a look!
thanks,
Stephen Z

Spec the Halls

My name is Steven Saus; I'm an author and publisher. I run Alliteration Ink, where I both publish original work and also provide publishing services. This year, I've taken up the mantle of running Spec The Halls from Abra Staffin-Wiebe. There's both a writing contest and a charity fundraiser. Right now, I'm doing a bit of a blog tour to support the fundraiser; each entry talks about something different, so you'll want to stop by them all. You can see a full linklist of the guest posts at specthehalls.tumblr.com and read more about the whole project (and get the charity eBook) at specthehalls.com.

I've already been asked a few times why Spec The Halls is only going to be available in digital formats.

First, I want to point out that if you get the eBook from our website, not only will more of the purchase price be going to charity, but you'll get more formats. You will get a PDF as well as the ePub (iBooks, nook, Kobo, Sony) and Kindle formats. Basically, if you have a computer, you'll be able to read it.

Second, it means that more of the money can go to charity. If I printed the book (about 150 pages if you made it a trade paperback size), it would cost a few dollars a book - and that's not counting what the retailers take. Because the authors donated the stories, Kathleen Tennant donated the cover art, and I do eBook conversions myself, there are neither up-front or per-unit costs. More money for Heifer International!

Third, this eBook is only available for a short time for the fundraiser. When the fundraiser is over, I won't have excess inventory to worry about!

Finally, digital distribution means that we can do innovative things with the book - like accepting reciepts for donations that people make on their own instead of requiring people to pay me directly.

It's that kind of flexibility that made it obvious that this project required digital-only distribution.

This year's edition of Spec The Halls is only available for a limited time, so act quickly to get your copy!

Small Business Saturday-New Books Available!

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 05:50:40 PST

Today is Small Business Saturday in the United States, a day in which shoppers are encouraged to support the independent, more localized business. A small press definitely falls under the category of a small business, so we hope you will give our titles a look today, whether you pick up an eBook on Kindle or Nook, order a softcover on Amazon.com, or pick up something from our own online store.

We have two brand new releases available now in Kindle, Nook, and softcover. The pricing on our eBooks, as always, is just $2.99.

If you like urban fantasy, we have Angelkiller, Book One of the Angelkiller Triad, from H. David Blalock.

Kindle Link for Angelkiller

If you like fantasy, we have The Fall of Dorkhun, from D.A. Adams, the latest in his Brotherhood of Dwarves series.

Kindle Link for The Fall of Dorkhun

Both books feature some outstanding interior artwork, Angelkiller's was done by Matthew Perry and The Fall of Dorkhun's was done by Bonnie Wasson.

Give one of our titles a look today as one of your gift purchases.

Like YA Fantasy? Try Jackie Gamber's Redheart
Like Sword and Sorcery? Try Steven Shrewsbury's Thrall
Like epic fantasy? Try Stephen Zimmer's Fires in Eden Series (Crown of Vengeance, Dream of Legends)
Like horror? Try Michael West's Cinema of Shadows
Want to try epic-scale urban fantasy? Try Stephen Zimmer's Rising Dawn Saga (The Exodus Gate, The Storm Guardians, and The Seventh Throne)

Every one of them can be found in softcover, Kindle, Nook, on the iBookstore, and at other eReader vendors. A few still have some limited edition hardcovers left at the Seventh Star Press online store

We hope you will participate in Small Business Saturday, and pick up a nice gift from Seventh Star Press!

A Thank You to Our Readers

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:24:23 PST

With the holiday week, we won't be having our Pick of the Week or featured blog post, both of which will resume next week.

We do want to take a moment, in light of the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, to say a few things to you, our readers.

We are always grateful to you, an appreciate each and every time you share a link, tell a friend, or buy a book from one of our authors. You come first with us, as authors and publishers cannot exist without you. You are the reason we are here, and we want you to know that we put every ounce of resource, time, and effort into bringing you the best books that we can.

As we grow, you can expect even more, as we strive to always improve in what we are able to offer you. Publishing is one of the hardest industries, in the midst of a very difficult time economically, but your support helps us to move forward and support our authors in every way we are able.

Just know that every time you pass a link, make a post, put up a review on Amazon.com or a similar outlet, or buy a book or other item related to Seventh Star Press, we deeply appreciate it.

Thank you!

An Emerging Issue With Online Book Ratings: The No-Review Review, and Non-Book Related Rating

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:35:07 PST

An Emerging Issue With Online Book Ratings: The No-Review Review, and Non-Book Related Rating
by Frank Hall

There is an increasing problem that needs to be dealt with soon. Unfortunately, I am not sure what to do about it. It's been happening for years, but now that ebooks are really coming into the fold, it's becoming more and more of a problem.

Stephen King's newest book just came out. Now, this is Stephen King I am using as an example, so I know that he is not going to be hurt by bad reviews. As of right now there are 10 reviews that are 1 star reviews on Amazon. Of those, 9 are just complaining about the price of the ebook.

We license people to drive cars. If you don’t have a license, you can't drive a car. We do this because if you can't drive, you can hurt yourself or others. Maybe we need to license people to use the internet. Now this has been a running joke for a while, but I think it is something that might need to be done. Maybe not a license for the entire internet, but maybe websites like amazon should put a hold on people's accounts like most forums do. For the first 6 months, everything you post will be reviewed before it is actually posted.

Like I said, Stephen King is not going to get hurt by a bad review. But what about all of the indie authors out there that only get a small amount of reviews? What about someone who is not reviewing the book, but making a comment about how Amazon took three days instead of two to ship them their book, or the fact that the Publisher has set the ebook price at 8.99, and that is way too much to pay for an ebook. A single bad review wont kill someone like getting behind the wheel of a car might, but it will damage an indie author's sales and their ability to make a living.

The world has gone digital. We are a digital society, and we need to start putting common sense, and at least some guidelines in place in cyberspace, like we would in real life. Like I said, I am not sure what the solution is, but we need to work on finding one.

UPDATE (as I finished this blog post): There are now 14 reviews of Stephen King's book, 3 of which have actual reviews of the book.

--Frank Hall
Owner of That Book Place and Hydra Publications

Visit the sites for That Book Place and Hydra Publications:

www.thatbookplace.com
www.hydrapublications.com

Pick of the Week: Crab Town, by Carlton Mellick III

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:04:13 PST

Pick of the Week (#11): Crab Town, by Carlton Mellick III
(Eraserhead Press)
-Selection made by Rodney Carlstrom

The Book:In this town, everyone's a bottom feeder...

Five desperate criminals are robbing one of the last remaining banks in Freedom City, a town devastated by the previous nuclear war. But these are no ordinary criminals. They are members of the House of Cards, an organization designed to help the less fortunate citizens of the city. In a place where the poor are separated from the rich, jobs are as scarce as clean water, and even the doctors are as corrupt as the politicians, the House of Cards are a final beacon of hope in an otherwise hopeless world.

Featuring: radiation fetishists, balloon people, mutant crabs, sail-bike road warriors, and a love affair between a woman and an H-Bomb. This is one mean asshole of a city.

Welcome to Crab Town

The Author: Carlton Mellick III is one of the leading authors in the new Bizarro genre uprising. Since 2001, his surreal counterculture novels have drawn an international cult following despite the fact that they have been shunned by most libraries and corporate bookstores. He lives in Portland, OR, the Bizarro fiction mecca.

Visit the author's site at: wwww.carltonmellick.com

The Publisher: Founded in 1999, Eraserhead Press is an independent publishing company with a focus on Bizarro Fiction, with an aim to bring you the weirdest most fun to read books you'll ever find. For more information about Bizarro Fiction visit: www.bizarrocentral.com

To visit the publisher's site, visit: www.eraserheadpress.com/

My Comments: Crab Town was my first foray into the messed up mind of Carlton Mellick III, and I enjoyed every single sentence of it! I originally picked Crab Town up because of it's awesome cover, and then fell in love with it after reading the synopsis for it.

With Crab Town, Mellick has managed to pack 85 pages with as many ideas as possible, without taking away from the story. Each page pops with two to three concepts that Mellick manages to blend together so well, without taking the reader out of the ridiculousness of it. (After the first few pages, your mind quickly realizes and adjusts to all of the crazy, twisted ideas of the story.)

It doesn't take much to trip my trigger, and immediately upon opening the book, several things jumped out at me that grabbed my attention: crime (the House of Cards, a crime organization created to help the less fortunate), crustecians (for which a specific part of town is named after), post-apocalyptic setting (Crab Town takes place after a nuclear war), and the novella length format (short enough to enjoy in only a few sittings, but long enough to get a full story). And ultimately it's a story of people who have nothing, trying to help others who are in the same situation, told each chapter from a different main character's point of view. Add to it the fear of debt and the extremes that people will go to in order to demolish such a burden from their shoulders, and you have Crab Town.

Not only is the cover art beautiful, but the genesis of the novella was brilliant, and I'm glad all the more for picking this quick read up based solely off of the cover art. If you've got a taste for the strange, weird or bizarre, or you're unsure of what Bizarro is, then check out www.bizarrocentral.com.

~Rodney

So make Crab Town the SSP Blog Pick of the Week!

Pick up Crab Town today! Direct softcover and Kindle links below:

softcover

Kindle

Seventh Star Press Announces Legacy of the Gods, the New Urban Fantasy Series from Michael West

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:01:52 PST

For Immediate Release
November 15, 2011

Seventh Star Press Proudly Announces New Four Book Urban Fantasy Series From Michael West

Seventh Star Press is proud to announce Legacy of the Gods, an exciting new urban fantasy series from Michael West that begins with Poseidon's Children. Four titles are scheduled in the series. The award-winning horror author's foray into urban fantasy is his second series with Seventh Star Press, joining his Harmony Indiana novels in a schedule that will see two books a year released from the prolific author.

Poseidon's Children has already received high praise from Maurice Broaddus, whose series, The Knights of Breton Court, has been making big waves in the urban fantasy world. As Maurice commented, “Poseidon’s Children is some of Michael West’s best writing and storytelling!”

As with all Seventh Star Press novels, the books will feature interior artwork, with covers and illustrations being done by acclaimed fantasy/horror artist Matthew Perry. His artwork appears in other Seventh Star Press releases from Jackie Gamber, H.David Blalock, Stephen Shrewsbury, and Stephen Zimmer.

"This has been an epic story that I have been passionate about for a long time, an idea that would not let go of my brain, it just kept growing, and growing, demanding that I start writing it all down,” Michael said in regards to the upcoming series. “I've talked about wanting to do this series for years, and my faithful readers kept asking me, 'When are you going to do that? When is it coming out?' Well, I'm happy to say that the answer is now, and I am so pleased that Seventh Star Press has given me the opportunity to finally make this dark, horrific, fantastical dream a reality."

In Poseidon's Children, man no longer worships the old gods; forgotten and forsaken, they have become nothing more than myth and legend. But all that is about to change. After the ruins of a vast, ancient civilization are discovered on the ocean floor, Coast Guard officers find a series of derelict ships drifting in the current--high-priced yachts and leaking fishing boats, all ransacked, splattered in blood, their crews missing and presumed dead.

And that's just the beginning.

Vacationing artist Larry Neuhaus has just witnessed a gruesome shark attack, a young couple torn apart right before his eyes ... at least, he thinks it was a shark. And when one of these victims turns out to be the only son of Roger Hays, the most powerful man in the country, things go from bad to worse. Now, to stop the carnage,Larry and his new-found friends must work together to unravel a mystery as old as time, and face an enemy as dark as the ocean depths.

Michael West is a fast rising force in the speculative fiction world. His work includes novels such as The Wide Game (Graveside Tales), Cinema of Shadows (Seventh Star Press) and a single author collection, Skull Full of Kisses (Graveside Tales). He also has an array of short fiction published, spanning many magazines and anthologies, including appearances in Shroud Magazine, and the Apex Science Fiction and Horror Digest.

Amanda DeBord will be handling editing duties on Poseidon's Children and the other three Legacy of the Gods titles.

"Seventh Star Press is simply amazing to work with,” Michael commented. “They know good fiction, put out hardcover, paperback, and eBook editions of the highest quality, and they support their authors and releases more
than any other publisher in the business. I could not be happier to be working with them on my Harmony, Indiana books and now the Legacy series."

The projected release date window for Poseidon's Children is March of 2012, with versions released in limited hardcover, trade paperback, and several eBook formats, such Kindle, iPad, the Nook, and Sony/Sony compatible eBook reading devices. The second novel is slated for spring of 2013, with other titles to follow on an annual basis.

Updates and additional information can be obtained at the official site for Seventh Star Press, at www.seventhstarpress.com, or at the author's site, www.bymichaelwest.com

Contact: C.C. James
Public Relations, Seventh Star Press
email: ccjames at seventhstarpress.com

Seventh Star Press is a small press publisher of speculative fiction located in Lexington Kentucky.

New Angelkiller Video Trailer

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:43:29 PST

Here's a brand new video trailer for the H. David Blalock novel Angelkiller, Book One of the Angelkiller Triad from Seventh Star Press.

There are still limited hardcover packages available for pre-order for about the next week and a half. Only 75 will be issued of this first limited hardcover edition of the exciting new urban fantasy series. Be sure that you get one of these sharp editions! Visit the online store today!

For the Self-Published: The Do-and-Do-Not's on How to get Reviewed

stephen@stephenzimmer.com (Stephen Zimmer) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 03:24:59 PST

For the Self-Published: The Do-and-Do-Not's on How to get Reviewed
-by Rodney Carlstrom

Okay, so you've written a novel. Now, let's assume that you're capable of holding it in your hands, or you've received the finished product; whether it's dead tree or space on your hard-drive. The next step is getting it into the hands of readers. Obviously, the strongest form of marketing is word of mouth. That's where people like myself (a reviewer), come into play.

For those who might not know, or are interested from a reviewer's perspective, here are some ways to avoid getting your work ignored, badly reviewed, or discarded.

Most people who run review sites have a set of rules they follow. Before you decide to up and send said site your book for reviewing, make sure that they take self-published works, and that your novel fits the bill for the specified genres that they are willing to review. If you're novel fits the bill for the site, the next step is to contact the person(s) who run it.

Every site should have some form of contact information available to visitors. If there isn't, then the next best way to contact the reviewer is by leaving a message, whether it be in the response section to a recent post, or, for the desperate, hunting them down on Facebook (which might seem stalkerish. Do this at your own risk).

Some would recommend that you use a form letter if you decide to contact more than a handful of reviewers. Others would suggest writing the initial letter so that each is authentic and personal. To me it doesn't matter, although I can tell instantly which one is used. This might matter to some reviewers, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just as long as you hit the main points: who you are, the title of your book, what it's about, if it's part of a series, and your interest in sending them a copy to review. Whichever method you decide to go with, make sure it's professional and courteous.

Once initial contact has been made, and a decision has been finalized in regards to the delivery of your novel, send your work forth to be devoured by hungry and objective eyes.

This next bit is crucial. For no reason should you do any of the following:

-Send a manuscript of your novel. Unless the reviewer specifies that it's alright to do so, don't. Not even if you've only released your novel in e-book form.

-Consistently e-mail or contact the reviewer to see if they've read your book yet, or to get their thoughts on it. Wait. Sooner or later you're going to find out, that's the whole point of a review. And by constantly contacting the reviewer you will not only make them annoyed, but it could very well land you with no review to speak of. Now, if it's been awhile, and you haven't heard anything about your book, then it's okay to send an inquiring e-mail. Otherwise, don't worry.

-And when the review does surface in regards to your work, even if it's a negative review, post it. Any publicity is good publicity.

-Don't argue with the reviewer, because ultimately what they've written in regards to your novel is their own opinion. They're just one person. If it upsets you, then too bad, grow thick skin and move on.

If you can manage to follow these steps, and avoid pissing the reviewer off, then you're set to get feedback and publicity for your newest piece of work.

~Rodney

Be sure to visit The SciFi Guys Book Review blog or add them on Twitter at the following links:
scifiguysbookreview.blogspot.com
Twitter: twitter.com/scifiguysbkrev

Rodney's personal blog and Twitter page can be found at:
The Bloody Pen
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kidstaple